I. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to processing stock. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for processing stock in a storage facility.
II. Background Information
With conventional stock processing systems, stock is segregated into stock bundles or containers. A group of stock bundles may comprise one order. When loading or unloading the stock bundles, a warehouse operator transfers the stock bundles, one at a time, from one location to another until the order is completely transferred. For example, the warehouse operator may use a manual hand truck to lift and move individual stock bundles from a staging area to a transportation vehicle or visa versa.
Some orders may contain a large number of stock bundles. Because some orders may be too large for one warehouse operator to transfer, multiple warehouse operators may be employed. In conventional systems, when multiple warehouse operators are employed, a portion of the stock bundles comprising the order may be assigned to a first warehouse operator and the remained portion of bundles may be assigned to a second warehouse operator. For example, stock bundles numbered 1 through 50 may be assigned to the first warehouse operator and stock bundles numbered 51 through 100 may be assigned to the second warehouse operator.
Using multiple warehouse operators is problematic. This is because each warehouse operator, when selecting a bundle to transfer, must search through and inspect the remaining bundles to make sure the bundle selected is one assigned to the particular warehouse operator. This searching and inspecting process is time consuming and creates great inefficiencies in conventional stock processing systems at least because the stock bundles are randomly arranged in, for example, the staging area. Moreover, conventional stock processing systems do not monitor the progress and performance of multiple warehouse operators loading or unloading stock bundles.
In view of the foregoing, there is presently a need for improved systems and methods for processing stock in a storage facility. Further, there is a need for improved systems and methods for processing stock in a storage facility that allow for monitoring the progress and performance of multiple warehouse operators loading or unloading stock bundles.